Bucoliques de Provence

The Inspiration

Bucoliques de Provence marks the beginning of a new collection of fragrances from L’Artisan Parfumeur inspired by different regions of France.

Grasse is considered the spiritual home of French fragrance and, fittingly, this is where the journey begins.

Bucoliques de Provence pays homage to the region with its distinctive lavender fields and historic production of leather.

Finest quality
raw materials

"Paper marbling transforms the colours into sea waves, various
marbles, bird's feathers and many other patterns." Athanasius Kircher Rome, 1646.

The Marble Paper

This limited edition is identified by its signature box made of marble paper.

Paper marbling is a method of aqueous surface design, which can produce patterns similar to smooth marble or other stone.

The patterns are the result of colour floated on either plain water or a viscous solution known as size, and then carefully transferred to an absorbent surface, such as paper or fabric. Part of its appeal is that each print is a unique monotype.

Through several centuries, people have applied marbled materials to a variety of surfaces.

Meet the perfumer
Fabrice Pellegrin

Having grown up in Provence, what does this region evoke for you?

For me Provence is evocative of light, sun and scents. Specifically, it reminds me of the aromatic scents of the garden. As a child I also lived in Argentina and Brazil, where I discovered a light and a sun with a very different scent.

If you could only choose three locations in Provence?

To me there is only one place: GRASSE, the city of my childhood, closely linked to my family’s history. I was raised amongst flowers and Grasse’s perfume factories. My perfumer’s training too was in Grasse.

A blend of leather and lavender in one same perfume, why?

Lavender was an obvious choice to represent Provence, as it is the region’s iconic flower. It was also a specific request from L’Artisan Parfumeur. However, I had no interest in composing a “mono aromatic” fragrance, and as such, I associated it with another key element of the region.
The leather accord is deeply rooted in Grasse’s history, dating back to the time of Catherine de Medecis when Grasse was a primary hub for the treatment of leather. However, the smell of the tanneries was aggressive and invasive, so Catherine de Medicis had the idea of fragrancing the water used by the tanneries, macerating petals of various kinds of local flowers. They were abundant, and this is how perfumed water was born, in Grasse.
This leather-lavender could only be representative of one region, Grasse, and only written by a true native of the region.
The leather I chose is very soft, suede-like, to evoke second-skin gloves and to accompany the aromatic facets of lavender, breaking the hardness of its camphoric tones.

What is your olfactive style?

My olfactive style is marked by beautiful raw materials, enhanced by short formulas.

What is your favourite raw material?

Lavender from my garden, and patchouli.

As a perfumer, what’s your greatest accomplishment?

Being in direct contact with the natural raw materials, close to those who cultivate them, with the opportunity to embellish their essence in beautiful creations. Brought together, these different activities give meaning to my passion, in all its states. I love hearing all these stories about the magic that gave life to these natural raw materials.

Your most comforting olfactive memory?

I have two.

The first is my “Madeleine de Proust” (a French expression reminiscent of a childhood memory), Grasse’s flowers, tuberose and jasmine. These are the scents of my childhood.
And then there is the scent of ferns that my dad used to wear; the really strong ferns for men that were very popular in the 80s.

The perfume that has changed your life?

It’s not a perfume that changed my life, but a raw material: patchouli. It gave me access to seduction. I even wear it pure sometimes. So faceted, mysterious, captivating; it’s a perfume on its own. A perfume of freedom, and in a way, a symbol of emancipation.

Your favourite moment of the day to compose?

In the evening, when everything is calm. The energy and excitement of the day has dissipated. It’s in that moment that I gain momentum for the day to come.

What music sooths you?

Classical music doesn’t have this calming effect on me that it does on most people. I’ve got quite eclectic taste with temporary obsessions. When it comes to music, I’m really permeable to trends. I am soothed more by way of listening to music… really loudly, driving my car.

Prolong the journey in Provence...